After biking the ‘Whooper Highway,’ duo reflects on the journey

A few weeks ago, the North Dakota News Cooperative reported on a 2,500-mile bicycle journey following the migration route of the endangered whooping crane. Now that the ride from Texas to Canada is complete, conservation photographer Mike Forsberg and Andrew Caven of the International Crane Foundation join The Backstory to reflect on what they saw, what they learned and what the journey revealed about the challenges facing whooping cranes and the landscapes they depend on. Forsberg and Caven recently completed a 2,500-mile bicycle ride from Texas to Canada, following the migration route of the endangered whooping crane. They explain how traveling the route under their own power helped them better understand the daily challenges migratory birds face as they search for food, water and safe places to rest. The journey also gave them a close look at habitat conditions throughout the Central Flyway. They describe long stretches where wetlands and grasslands have disappeared and discuss how the loss affects whooping cranes as well as monarch butterflies, shorebirds, grassland birds and other species that depend on the same landscape. “Their story in the Great Plains in North America on migration is very much our story, too.” – Mike Forsberg, conservation photographer The conversation also examines the connections among conservation, agriculture and rural economies, including the role sustainable ranching and working lands can play in protecting grasslands and wetlands. Part two will focus on what Forsberg and Caven encountered while riding through North Dakota and how residents can support conservation close to home.